Identifying and classifying file



Feb, 24, 1925. 1,527,410

E.c.HEALD IDENTIFYING AND CLASSIFYING FILE 1 4 Original Filed Oct. 16,1918 non m.

Patented eli.v r24,l 1925.

UNITED STATES ERNEST C. HEALD, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON.

IDENTIFYING AN'D CLASSIFYING FILE.

Substitute for application Serial No. 258,478, led October 16, 1918.This application iledleptember 28,1919. Serial No. 326,665. Renewed Kay28, 1924.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ERNEST C. HEALD, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Portland, county of Multnomah, .and State of Oregon, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Identifying and ClassifyingFiles, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention' relates to files, such as cards, or equivalentsubstantially flat articles, for example folders or pockets, adapted forbeing massed together, side for side, and serially arranged, asa Whole,in a general class, and subdivided into groups representing sub-classes.v l

The objectof my invention is to provide the Whole series offile-elementsywith readily discernible markings identifying andclassifying them as part of a general class, and of a particularsub-class in the general class; and further indicating theirproper placein the sub-class or sub-divisions.

More specifically stated, said markings function l Eirst: To establishthe identity of each file-element with respect tot-he general class.

`Assuming the file-elements to be classified by placing 'in drawers orother container,`

my invention would identify the file-elements with respect to the numberof the drawer in which they belong. n

Assuming further that the entire series of {ile-elements is sub-dividediinto groups, and subgroups or sub-classes, my invention would further'identify the file-elements with respect to the particular group andsubgroup in which they belong; also the particular place of each in aparticular subgroup; in each case `facilitating the proper placement ofthe file-element;

Second: To disclose at a glance, as it were, that the series, ora'group, is incomplete, because a particular file element is missing; v

Third: To disclose that the series, or group, contains a misplacedfilefelement.

A further object of my invention is to identify and classify the{ile-elements with respect -to a system of arithmetical notation, andhave certain of the marking scg ments which each file-element bears constitute a part of a symbolic delineation denoting the ordinal of theWhole class; an-

other symbolic marking denoting the ordinal of the file-element in a`group concards in the series, groups or'substituting a sub-class orsub-division, to which 1t belongs, and a further symbolic markindenoting the ordinal of the` place of eac file-element in a smallersub-group.

In order to apply my invention, the fileelements must be adapted formassing substantially latwise, side by side. For convenience' theseelements will be spoken of as cards.

I attain my object by arrangin the cards serially with respect to agenera class, dividing the latter into groups or sub-classes,

to the general class, to the groups and the sub-groups, and also theorder of placement of the cards in the subgroup, by providing ytheexposed edge of each card with a .segment of a symbolic delineationden0t- 1ng theclass, other symbolic markings denotingthe groupy andsubgroup, and a still other or auxiliary symbolic marking denoting theorder of placement of the card in the sub-group. The symbolicdelineation denoting the class extends across the exposed edges of theentire series.; the demeation denoting a group or sub-group extendsacross the edges of the cards comprising suchl group or sub-group only,and the auxiliary delineation denoting the placement of; the ycardsWithin the sub-group also extends preferably diagonally across the cardscomprising the latter.

Theses mbolic markings represent a system of `arithmetical notation withrespect to which the marking 'segments borne' by the 'individual cardsdenote the digits in the wholenumber symbolically presented by thedelineation on theexposed edges of all the u'pso the series, when intheir proper p aces.

To facilitate the reading of said.- marks the edges bearing said marksmust present a substantially uniform surface, so that the markingsegments will present substantially an uninterrupted continuousdelineation; that is to say, the marking segments of each card mustharmoniously connect with a related marking segment borne by the cardson one or both sides of it, in order to disclose, A at a glance, by anyunharmonious arrangement of the marking segments of the cards, that acard is'misplaced, or is missing.

The delineation presented by the edges of the cards as a whole, must beof such character as to promote the above mentioned and establishing therelationship of the cards n l convenient.

features; and the markin segment borne by each card classifying't ecardwith regard to an order of placement must be an integral and essentialpart of a complete delineation without which the continuity of suchdelineation will appear broken.

In practice, I find straight lines across the edges of the cards andextending in part perpendicular, and in part oblique with the plane ofthe flat sides of the cards, as most suitable.

A The figure in the drawing shows, perspectively, a drawer containing afile of cards to which my invention is applied as in practice. arepresents the drawer, the front of which bears the No. 273 which, itwill be assumed, is the class number of the file of cards contained inthe drawer.

This class number is borne by the exposed side and top edges of the fileof cards; that is to say, the side edges are provided with a.

lseries of parallel lines c extending across the edges of the file ofcards exposed above the sides of the drawer; and d and e are otherseries of parallel lines extending across the top edges of the file ofcards.

Each of the series of lines c, d, e, are adapted to provide 10 spacesand represent a system of decimal notation thus: c represents hundreds,d tens, and c units.

The linesmay be used to present in themselves the arbitrary divisions inthe System of notation, or the spaces set off by the lines may be usedfor that purpose, as deemed I chose the' latter mode in illustrating myinvention in the drawing. Thus the second space in the series of lines cis filled with a; heavy black line c and designates the digit 2. Theseventh space in the series of lines d, and the third space in theseries of lines e are likewise filled in with heavy black lines d and eand represent the digits 7 and 3 respectively. The symbols presented inthe series of lines c, d, e, are to be read together, and give thenumber 273 as mentioned. Of course the series of lines c could also bemarked on the upper edges of the file of cards instead of the side edgesthereof as shown; but I illustrated my invention in the manner describedso as to show that the side edges exposed above the sides of the drawermay also be utilized, if found expedient, to classify and identify thecards composing the file. The use of lines as c, l and e is optional andthey may be omitted where not required by the system of notation.

The general class composed by the cards contained in the drawer andidentified collectively by the No. 273, is divided into threesub-classes or groups f, g, h, which su-bclasses or groups areidentified and classified by the symbolic delineation placed in theseries of lines z', extending across the top edges of all the cardsperpendicularly to the flat-sides of the cards. Thus the first space ofthe series of lines z', extending across the sub-class or group f isleft blank which dei notes ci her or 0. The first space in said series olines i extending across the subclass or group g is filled with a heavyblack line lc, denoting the number 1, and the second space of saidseries of lines i extending across the sub-class or group k is filledwith a heavy black line m to designate the number 2. Hence theidentifying mark of all the cards in the group or sub-class f, denotesO, that of the sub-class or group g denotes 1, and that of the sub-classor group if, denotes 2.

Each of the groups or sub-classes f, g, I1, is further sub-divided into10 smaller subdivisions or sub-groups, as designated by the referencenumbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, l0, in the sub-group f. These numbersare symbolically denoted by the delineations associated with the seriesof lines nproviding' 10 spaces between them. Thus the group of cardscomposed in the sub-group 1 has the first space of said series of linesa filled in with a heavy black line o, denoting the numeral 1; the groupof cards comprising the second sub-group has the second space of saidseries of lines filled in with a heavy black line p denoting the numeral2; and so on thruout the entire sub-class or group, as shown in thedrawings.

Each of the sub-divisions or sub-groups 1 to 10 lcomprises a series ofcards of any convenient number. These cards have drawn across theirupper edges a heavy diagonal line s. The line is drawn diago# nally sothat when a card in the series is missing or misplaced that fact isdisclosed at a glance by the brake in the line, as at w, producing theeffect of two lines offset; and the segment of the diagonal line borneby the card misplaced will facilitate the discovery of the latter andthe location of the place where it belongs.

Recapitulating the working of my invention in ractice: Theidentification of the cards with respect to a. general class number issymbolically established by the heavy -black lines in the series oflines c, d, e,

extending across all the cards of the series. As evident, if the cardswere provided with no other distinguishing classifying feature, theirdisplacement, or the fact that a card is missing would not be disclosed.

Therefore the heavy black lines associated with the series of lines z'are provided to classify and identify the cards belonging to particularsub-classcs lor groups. If any card in these sub-classes or groups wereaccidentally placed in a sub-class or group in which it did not belong,the displacement lon would be discovered in the break of the continuityof the symbolic delineation 'as shown at 1^ and /rg note two cards havebeen exof the cards belonging changed. But the latter means ofclassifying and identifying would not be suilicient to identify andclassify the cards with respect to the particular sub-division or groupto which they belong. That function 1s performed by the symbolicdelineation associated with the series of lines fn.. If one to asub-class `or group were misplaced 1n said group, there would appear lalack of continuity of the symbolic delineation associated lwith theseries of lines n, as shown 'at g and q; note two cards havebeenexchange -Finally by providing a heavy dia onal black line as shownat o across the e ges of a sub-group of cards if any one of such cardsis misplaced as for example, shown at t and t', such fact is discoveredby mere inspection since the break in the diagonal line s at t showsthat one of its integral segments is missing; andby noting the brokendelineation at t it will becomeevident that the missing card is locatedthere. In short, the card inserted at t should have been inserted at t.

@their examples of the working of my inventicn with respect tovdisclosing misplacement and omission of cards are shown in the drawingsas follows:

a designates a card which belongs to another drawer whose number is 54'?and but for the symbolic notation of the drawernumber on the card, theincorrect placing of the card would not be discovered. From the symbolicnotations borne by the card it may be assumed that it is exchanged withanother card of the same sub-class, sub-division, and place in thelatter, but belongs to drawer number 547 as apparent from the symbolicsegmental delineations located in the series of lines c, d, and e.

At o a card has been inserted which belongs to drawer bearing number929, as apparent from the symbolic segmental delineation located in theseries of lines c, d, and e.

In the sub-division 9 of sub-class 0, the

second card y has been wrongly placed after 'the fifth card, thusshowing an odset or interruption of the connecting segments of the firstand third cards in the diagonal line s of said sub-division; and thefifth card of said sub-division also showing a misplaced segment of saiddiagonal line. If a card were missing in any sub-division it would bedisclosed by the unsynimetric appearance or break in the diagonal linein the subdivision, as also illustrated at w in subdivision 9.v Numerousother illustrations of the workings of my invention in preventing anddetecting omissions and misplacement of cards, or other le-elementscould be given, but I believe the examples given as sufficient.

Thus in short the principle involved in my invention may be said toconsist in providlin .the exposed ed es of the cards with segments wouldalso answer. lilowtwer,`

lineal delineations marked on the surfaces of the cards are moreconveniently read since all details of the delineations are located inthe same plane. And, furthermore, the printing of delineations on theedges of a massed hie of cards is obviously a much simpler operationthan the cutting ci the margins of the cards since each group andsub-group of the latter would have to have individual treatment, whilethe imprinting of all inter-related delinea-tions on the edges of massedcards can be accomplished by a single operation.,

I claim:

l. A le comprising a series of dat elements massed side by sidepresenting a general class and groups or subclasses thereof, a symbolicunbroken delineation composed of lineal characters extendingtransversely across the exposed edges of the entire series therebydenoting the ordinal designating the series as a whole in a system ofnotation,

l'll) a further symbolic delineation extending lil) ments massed' sideby side presenting a` general class and groups. or sub-classes thereof,a symbolic unbroken delineation composed of lineal characters extendingtransversely across the exposed edges of the entire series therebydenoting the ordinal designating the series as a whole in a. system ofnotation, a further symbolic delineation offset progressively extendingacross the file elements comprising a group, and adapted lill to denotean ordinal of the latter with respect to its order of placement in thegeneral class, each file element bearing an integral segment of each ofsaid delineations connecting with the segments borne by the fileelements on one or both sidesof it.

3. A file comprising a series of flatlelements massed si e by sidepresenting a general class, and groups and sub-groups thereof, linealdelineations extending across the exposed edges of the entire series`other lineal delineations extending across the exposed edges of thosefile elements only comprising a group, and still other linealdelineations extending across the exposed edges ot' those lile elementsonly comprising a sub-group, said lineal delineations representingrespectively symbolically the digits of a system of decimal notation,and functioning to denote the ordinal of the entire series as a generalclass, and the ordinals of the groups and subgroups thereof, each fileelement bearing an integral segment of each ot' said delineationsconnecting With the segments borne by the file elements on one or bothsides of it.

l-. A file comprising a series of flat elements massed side by sidepresenting a general class, and groups and sub-groups thereof, linealdelineations extending across the exposed edges of the entire series,other lineal delineations extending across theexposed edges of thosefile elements only comprising a group and still, other linealdelineations extending across the exposed edges of those file elementsonly comprising a sub-group, said lineal delineations representingrespectively symbolically the digits of a system of decimal notation,and functioning to denote the ordinal of the entire series as a generalclass, and the ordinals' of the groups and subgroups thereof, and anoblique line extending across the ile elements comprising a sub-groupadapted to ,denote the ordinals of the individual elements within suchsub-group With respect to their order of placement therein, each fileelement bearing an integral segment of each ot' said delineationsconnecting with the segments borne by the file elements on one or bothsides of it.

A lile comprising a series of flat elements massed side. by siderepresenting a general class. and groups and sub-groups thereof, linealdelineations extending across the exposed edges of the entire series,other lineal dclineations extending across the exposed edges of thoseile elements only comprising a group and still, other linealdelineations extending across the exposed edges of those le elementsonly comprising a sub-group, said lineal delineations re rescntingrespectively symbolically the dlgits of a system of decimal notation,and functioning to denote the ordinal of the entire series as va generalclass, and the ordinals of the groups and subgroups thereof, and afurther oblique delineation offset progressively extending across thefile elements comprising a sub-group and adapted to denote the ordinalsof the individual elements Within such sub-group with respect to theirorder of placement therein, each lile element bearing an integralsegment of each of said delineations connecting with the segments borneby the file elements on one or both sides of it.

6. A file comprising a series of lat elements massed side by sidepresenting a general class and groups or sub-classes thereof, a symbolicunbroken uniform delineation composed of lineal characters extendingtransversely across the exposed edges of the entire series therebydenoting the ordinal designating the series as a whole in a system ofnotation, another symbolic delineation extending across the edges of agroup in said series denoting the ordinal of the group in a system ofnotation, and thereby designating. the relative place of the group inthe series, a further symbolic delineation extending across the fileelements comprising a group, and adapted to denote the ordinals of theindividual tile elements Within the group with respect to their order ofplacement therein, each file element bearing an integral segment of eachAof said delineations connecting with the segments borne by the fileelements ou one or both sides of it.

7. A file comprising a series of flat elements massed side by sidepresenting a general class and groups or sub-classes thereof, a symbolicunbroken uniform delineation composed of lineal characters extendingtransversely across the exposed edges of the entire series therebydenoting the ordinal designating the series as a whole in a system ofnotation, another symbolic' delineation also composed of lineal elementsoffset progressively extending across the edges of a group in saidseries vdenoting the ordinal of the group in a system 0f notation, andthereby designating the relative place of the group in the series, afurther symbolic delineation extending across the file elementscomprising a group, and adapted to denote the ordinals of the individualfile elements within the group with respect to their order of placementtherein. each ile element bearing an 'integrall segment ot each of saiddelineations connecting With the segments borne by the file elements onone or both-sides of it.

8. A file comprising a series of flat elements massed side by sidepresenting a general class and groups or sub-classes thereof, a symbolicunbroken uniform delineation composed of lineal characters extendingtransversely across the exposed edges of the entire series therebydenoting the ordinal designating the series as a Whole in a system ofnotation, another symbolic delineation also composed of lineal elementsextending across the edges of a group in said series denoting theordinal of the group in a system of notation, and thereby designatingthe relative place of the group in the lll) series, a further symbolicdelineation composed of oblique lineal elements extending across thefile elements comprising a subgroup, and adapted to denotethe ordinalsof the individual file elements Within the sub-group with respect totheir order of placement therein, each file element bearing an integralsegment of each of said delineations connecting with the segments borneby the file elements on one or both sides of it.

' ation extending across the edges of a group in said series denotingthe ordinal of the group in a system of notation, and therebydesignating the relative place of the group in the series, furthersymbolic delineation offset progressively extending across the fileelements comprising a group, and adapted to denote theordinals of theindividual file elements Within the group with respect to their order ofplacement therein, each file element bearingy an inltegral 'segment ofeach of said delineations` connecting with the segments borne by thefile elements on one or both sides of it.

10. A file comprising a series of fiat elements massed side by sidepresenting ageneral class and groups or sub-classes thereof, a symbolicunbroken uniform delineation composed of lineal characters extendingtransversely across the exposed edges of the entire series therebydenoting the ordinal designating the series as a whole in a system ofnotation, another symbolic delineation extending across the edges of agroup infsaid series denoting the ordinal of the group in a system o fnotation, and thereby designating the relative place of the group in theseries. a further symbolic delineation composed of oblique 'linealelements .offset progressively extending across the file elementscomprising a sub-group, and adapted to denote theordinals of theindividual le elements within the sub-group ,with respect to their orderof placement therein, each file element bearing lan integral segment ofeach of said delineations connecting withv the segments borne by thefile elements on one or bothsides of it.

1l. A file comprising a series of fiat elements massed side by side andasymbolic continuous uniform delineation extending across the fileelements ofthe series, rand adapted thereby to denote the ordinals ofthe individual file elements within the series With respect@ their orderof placement therein, each file element bearing an integral segment ofsaid delineation connecting with the segments borne by the tile elementson one or both sides of it.

12. A tile comprising a series of fiat elements massed side by side anda symbolic continuous uniform delineation composed ,of oblique linealelements extending across the file elements of the series, and adaptedthereby to denote the ordinals ofthe individual file ele-ments Withinthe series with respect to their order of. placement therein, each fileelement bearing an integral segment of said delineations connecting withthe segments bornelby the file elements on one or both sides of it.

13. A -le comprising a series of flat ele- 4ments massed side by sideand a symbolic continuous uniform delineation offset progressivelyextending across ,the file elements of the series, and adapted therebyto denote the/ ordinals of the individual file elements Within theseries with respect to their order of placement therein, each fileelement bearing an integral segment of said delineation connecting with.the segments borne by the file elements on one or both sides of it.

14. A file comprising' a series of flat elements massed yside by sideand a symbolic continuous uniform delineation. composed of obliquelineal elements offset progress- -ively and extending obliquely acrossthe file elements-- `of the series, and adapted thereby to denote theordinals of the individual file elements with respect to their order ofplacement therein, each file element bearirig an integral segment ofsaid delineation connecting with the segments borne by the lile elementson one or both sides of it.' y

15.4 As an article of manufacture, aplurality of cards adapted toconveniently occupy a desired receptacle, said cards having shaded andlight lines spaced apart and delineated upon and along the upper massededges of the cards in place and Alongitudinally of the receptacle, andlines of similar character extending upon and y along the massed edgesof one end of said v cards longitudinally of the receptacle, all of saidmarkings being arranged in a predetermined manner with relation -to eachother, whereby the said lines and spaces between them may rep-resent andindicate digits in a number assigned tothe receptacle, and by means ofwhich a single card bearing said markings may be identified as a memberof'the series of cards belonging to and for deposit in the particularreceptacle havingl said number, by a reading of the aforesaid markingsupon the card, substantially as described- 16. As an article ofmanufacture, a plurality of cards adapted to convenientlyocpre-determined manner with relation to each other, fwhereby the saidlongitudinal lines and spaces between them may represent and indicatedigits in a number assigned to each of said divisions, sub-divisions andindividual cards within the receptacle, and whereby a single card may beidentified as to its membership and position in each of the saiddivisions and sub-divisions of the receptacle, by a reading of theaforesaid markings upon the card, substantially as described.

17. As an article of manufacture, a plurality of cards adapted toconveniently occupy a desired receptacle, said cards having shaded andlight lines spaced apart and delineated upon and along the upper massededges of the cards in place and longitudinally of the receptacle, andlines of similar character extending upon and along the massed edges ofone end of said cards longitudinally of the rece tacle, all of saidmarkings being arrange in a pre-determined manner with relation to eachother, whereby the said lines and spaces between them may represent andindicate digits in a number assigned to the receptacle, and by means ofwhich a single card bearing said markings may be identified as a memberof the series of cards belonging to and for deposit in the particularreceptacle having said number, by a reading of the aforesaid markingsupon the card, said cards also having a desired number of shaded orlight lines spaced apart and delineated upon and along tho upper massededges of the cards in place, longitudinall 4of the receptacle, andwithin divisions an sub-divisions thereof, in predetermined positions,also having other single, diagonal lines in pre-determined positionsdelineated upon and along the upper `massed edges of the cards in placein the receptacle, and within each of its aforesaid sub-divisions, allof said markings bein arranged ina predetermined manner wit relation toeach other, whereby the said second set of longitudinal lines and spacesbetween them may represent and indicate digits a number assigned to eachof said divisions, sub-divisions and individual cards within thereceptacle` and whereby a single card may be identified as to itsmembership and position in each of the said divisions and sub-divisionsof the receptacle, by a reading of the aforesaid markings upon the card,substantially as described.

ERNEST C. HEALD.

